Relative Performance and Immune Response in White Leghorn Layers Fed Liquid DL-methionine Hydroxy Analogue and DL-methionine

A K Panda,S K Bhanja,S V Rama Rao,M V L N Raju

doi:10.5713/ajas.2007.948

Abstract

The relative performance and immune response was evaluated in White Leghorn layers fed liquid DL-methionine hydroxyl analogue-free acid (MHA-FA) relative to dry DL-methionine (DLM) in maize-soybean-sunflower based diets. Three graded levels of methionine (Met) from DLM or MHA-FA were added to the basal diet containing 0.27% Met on an equimolar basis to achieve 0.30, 0.36 and 0.42% Met in the diet. Each diet was fed ad libitum to 25 replicates of one bird (individual feeding) each, from 24 to 40 weeks of age. A regime of 16 h light was provided and all the layers were kept under uniform management throughout the experimental period. None of the parameters studied were influenced by the interaction between source and level of Met in diets. Similarly, the majority of parameters, except for daily feed consumption and immune response (influenced by level) and egg specific gravity and shell thickness (influenced by source), were not affected by either source or level of Met in the diets. Feed consumption was significantly lower in the birds fed a diet containing 0.42% Met compared to those fed lower levels of Met. The cutaneous basophilic hypersensitivity response to PHA-P and antibody titre (32 and 40 wk) to inoculation of sheep red blood cells increased significantly by increasing the concentration of Met in the diet from 0.30 to 0.36%. Thus, the Met requirement for immune competence was higher than for optimum production. The source of Met significantly influenced the egg specific gravity and shell thickness. The specific gravity and shell thickness of eggs increased significantly when MHA-FA was used as the source of Met in the diet compared to DLM. From the study it is concluded that Met requirement for immune competence (360 mg/b/d) is higher than for optimum production (300 mg/b/d). MHA-FA was comparable with DLM as a source of Met for production performance and immunity, when the bioavailability of MHA-FA was considered as 88% of DLM. Further, MHA-FA improved egg shell quality compared to DLM.

Highlights

methionine hydroxyl analogue-free acid (MHA-FA) compared to DLM in layer chickens is scanty (Harms and Russell, 1994; Liu et al, 2004b; Liu et al., Methionine (Met) is the first limiting amino acid in 2005).practical chicken diet
Stocks and husbandry All major feed ingredients were analyzed for protein (AOAC, 1990) and amino acids
After measurements, 100 μg of PHA-P suspended in 0.1 ml of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and 0.1 ml of PBS was injected into right and left wattle, respectively

Summary

INTRODUCTION

MHA-FA compared to DLM in layer chickens is scanty (Harms and Russell, 1994; Liu et al, 2004b; Liu et al., Methionine (Met) is the first limiting amino acid in 2005). It is usually supplemented Inconsistent conclusions were drawn in the previous in practical layer diet for optimal performance Both compounds provide Met precursor to the controversy about the bioavailability of MHA-FA compared bird, there are some difference between them with respect to DLM. The present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of liquid MHA-FA relative to DLM on production parameters as well as immune response in White Leghorn layers

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION